The article title “Are you willing to pay the price for success?” did its job.
I began reading.
Hard work is the key to success, so work diligently on any project you undertake. If you truly want to be successful, be prepared to give up your leisure time and work past 5 PM and on weekends. ~Charles Lazarus
By the end of the second paragraph I knew this article was something aimed at “first act” me – that ambitious woman who was all too willing to pay the price the author offered up as requirements for success: long hours, the Blackberry grafted to my palm, living out of suitcases, singing the corporate song and perpetually doing more with less.
“Second act” me would love to introduce the article writer to Marilyn, a client who says “I’ve lost my way and don’t know what to do.” (Hey, I’d like to chat with him, too.) Marilyn, like so many others (including me!), enthusiastically anteed up the big blind for corporate success, and paid it over and over again for 20 years.
Marilyn achieved the success she sought – the coveted senior vice president role for a large multi-national firm.
How do you define success?
Now, after two years in her long sought treasure, Marilyn questions not so much the price (that was clear and understood from the beginning) but rather the success itself, i.e., all that for this: longer hours, more travel, a single-minded business focus on the bottom line and the stock price, and greater pressure to do more with less.
As Marilyn described it, it was just more of the same only on a bigger scale.
“There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.” ~Christopher Morley
What the article author and Marilyn did was define the price.
Neither defined success.
- Is success the corporate corner office, the lofty salary, the grand job title?
- Is success feeling contentment, knowing that you’ve made a difference?
- Is success public acclaim or being a celebrity?
- Is success being able to work from home wearing your sweats and no mascara and/or not shaving?
- Is success writing that anonymous six-figure check to your favorite charity?
- Is success having a home on both coasts, a luxury car, designer clothes?
- Or is it something totally different? Even a combination of the above?
Every human has four endowments: self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom: the power to choose, to respond, and to change. ~Dr. Stephen Covey
Whether we define and measure success by or with things or outcomes or feelings, the choice is ours. There’s no right or wrong answer.
The key for fulfillment comes with knowing what our personal success target is. That way, when we claim our prize, we’re getting what we truly wanted.
Have you thought about what success means to you?
Image source: Gratisography
Grreat article. I agree that you have to define what success means to you personally before you can go about creating it for yourself.
Tweets 1 and 2 in my latest career advice book, “Success Tweets” make this point.
Tweet 1 says, “Define exactly what life and career success mean to you. It’s easier to hit a clear, unambigous target.”
Tweet 2 says, “The more clear you are about what success means to you personally, the easier it will be to create the life and career you want.”
I am giving away free downloads of “Success Tweets.” Go to http://www.SuccessTweets.com to get your free copy.
Bud –
Great advice and thanks for sharing your link. Having resources available for guidance and direction is a big help to people seeking answers.
Did you have a defining moment when you knew what success was for you?
Jane
Jane:
Yes I do remember exactly when I realized what success mean to me. Like you, I am in the second half of my life.
I spent about 30 years in the HR development field — first inside companies and then as an independent consultant.
About three years ago, I realized that my knowledge and wisdom was available only to people who worked for the Fortune 100 companies that hired me.
I realized that I wanted to extend my reach and influence. My definition of success truned away from making as much money as I possibly could to helping as many people as I can to create the life and career success they deserve.
That’s why I blog and give away my Success Tweets book at http://www.SuccessTweets.com.
I am not 100% altruistic, however. I offer coaching services and information products for sale.
However, I believe that people can do a lot with the free information I make available on the internet.
Long response to a short question — sorry.
Bud
Jane, wow, this post truly hit home for me. I just took off my “corporate charm bracelet” and retired from one of the largest global companies in the world almost a year ago. My definition of success has completely changed now that I am in my “second act” as well…Love your posts and site!! THANKS!!
Darlene – how awesome to know I’ve got company in the “taking off the corporate charm bracelet corner”! Appreciate your kind words and wish you much success and happiness in your second act as you coach others to success!
Bud —
Our back stories are very similar. I realized I had been chasing the wrong “big” for lots of years and needed to do something to make a positive difference. Delighted that you shared your story!
Jane